Saturday, March 05, 2011

Coach Doesn’t Let Birth Get In The Way Of Leading Team To State

This such an extreme case of unbelievably fucked up priorities that words damn near escape me.

Damn near.

"The Lipan (Texas) High girls basketball coach led her team to a regional semifinal victory on Friday, then gave birth to her third child a few hours later. With the regional final scheduled for Saturday, it was assumed that the coach would miss her team's chance to advance to the state playoffs, but Branson had other ideas.

Instead of taking a well-earned day off, Branson returned to the bench on Saturday, leading Lipan to a come-from-behind, 45-41 victory over Newcastle, sending the Indians to the state semifinals for the first time in eight years.

I was pretty tired," an incredibly understated Branson told the Associated Press of her return to the court just hours after giving birth. "I never felt like I couldn't do it. God's been good to me this week."

In fact, Branson's claim that her between-games birth was fated may have something to it. The coach reached a hospital in Abilene, where the regional finals were being played, about 9 p.m., shortly after her team's regional semi victory. By 10 p.m., daughter Leslie had already been born, a labor too quick to even allow for an epidural injection.

Yet, had Branson received that epidural shot, she might not have been able to recover in time to coach the game on Saturday, even though doing so did require her to leave Leslie behind in the hospital for a few hours.

"That was all part of God's plan. If I had the epidural, I might not have been able to make [the game]," Branson said."

Jesus Fucking Christ. This is so fucked up I don't even know where to start!

The woman just gave birth to her child, but she thinks it is OK to leave her newborn daughter behind to go coach a fucking high school basketball game?!?

What kind of fucked up values and priorities elevate a fucking basketball game above, well, anything?

I'm thinking the birth of your own child takes absolute, unprecedented priority above everything else in the world.

Personally, I think the fact that she would elevate a fucking sport, a goddamn high school basketball game, above her own newborn daughter should call in to question her fitness to be a mother.

All sports are just stupid jocks playing games for the entertainment of even dumber and less talented fans.

There is absolutely nothing in this world less important than sports.

They don't feed the hungry, they don't save lives, they don't educate children.

They are the equivalent of the Roman Colosseum games meant to distract the citizens from the actual issues and problems that need to be addressed.

When mothers start viewing their own children as less important than a Goddamn basketball game, our society is doomed.

10 comments:

Nick said...

Parents moving to Texas have to ink an agreement committing their firstborn to whatever sport the school coach determines their offspring is best suited for. Secondary, tertiary and later heirs -being the lesser of the DNA/RNA milkshake- are also encouraged to participate in sports but must, at a minimum, be part of the school’s band, pep or cheerleader squad.

And, no offense, but your comparison of organized athletics to the Roman games is tired; the UFC would be far more apt. Indeed, one might legitimately use Spartacus: Blood and Sand, as it involves far more sex, violence and gore pr0n.

The culture is waaaaaaaaaay past doomed, though sports have nothing to do with it – they’re just symptoms. Whether the infectious meme circulating in the “brain” of Jebus Mom is another symptom of society’s dysfunction or a direct causal agent is up for debate.

I will grant you, however, her insanity.

Keith Sader said...

Sorry, I have to disagree with you on this one. I trust this woman to make correct judgments concerning her health and the infant's welfare. I would guess that it's not her first child and she had say 'the father' there to help out.

I wasn't there, I'm not her physician or family, so I'm trusting that she made the right call. Anything else is paternalistic and patronizing IMO.

Xavier Onassis said...

Keith - Point taken. Presuming that I am in a better position to choose what is best for a mother and a child than the mother of the child goes against everything I believe in. It was late. I was cranky. I had a Man Cold.

I Travel for JOOLS said...

I can't imagine the mega pad she had to wear while coaching that game.

That would have stopped me before leaving my baby in the nursery for a couple of hours.

Keith Sader said...

WIN! I just had XO walk something back a bit :-D I'm totally tweeting this!

Janet said...

Yeah, I could have left the hospital the day I had Josie, but chose spend the night (something Keith will NEVER let me live down). I was a bit slower than normal, but I was fine.

Women have been giving birth for millenia. We are not that far removed from having the baby in the field while working.

Given how women are expected to not only take care of the house and kids, but be a provider as well, I'm almost surprised this type of behavior isn't expected from all women.

Xavier Onassis said...

I think (know) it was the sports thing that burned my balls.

It would have been different if she had left her newborn child behind to attend her daughter's graduation, or to cast a crucial vote for a piece of legislation that helped people in need, or to join her local volunteer fire department in putting out a fire at a nursing home or an animal shelter.

But to coach a fucking basketball game?

I just can't think of any lower priority on the entire planet or in anyone's life.

It's a fucking game. Like Monopoly, or Go Fish. Completely inconsequential.

I don't understand humans [meatbagsfilledwithmostlywater].

Joe said...

X, I just have to ask. Were you always the last one picked in school for recess? I'm not sure who hates sports more, you or Tony from TKC. I guess I'm one of those mouth breathers who likes sports. Paying for the Sprint Center and Arrowhead complex is another story, however, and I don't want to be accused of blog drift.

Xavier Onassis said...

Joe - No, actually, I was always picked first. The high school football coach campaigned hard to get me on the team and I told him to go fuck himself. Life is too short to allow yourself to voluntarily stay after school every day and go to school on weekends so that you can be verbally and physically abused by Neanderthal assholes.

Janet said...

Look at it this way: She's teaching young women to succeed in life. Sports (in high school in particular) do teach valuable life lessons to kids (such as even when you do your best, you can still lose). Sports also keeps our kids moving and active, and less prone to obesity.

She's teaching those girls that women are strong, and they don't have to take shit from anyone. And now not one of those girls on her team (either now or in the future) will ever have a good excuse for missing a practice or a game.

Just like some people are wired to believe in God and some aren't, some people are wired to work/play in groups, unlike you ;)